Sometimes there is a bit of anxiety on the part of consultants on how far to go in the review of a shop drawing. This anxiety can be reduced by understanding a little bit of the purpose and intent of shop drawings along with the responsibilities of the contractor in the process. Read More…
Five great websites to sharpen your contract administration
“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it,” Samuel Johnson.
A goal of our substantial performance blog is to be a source of continuing education to those in construction contract administration. We believe that for good architectural design to be realized, a strong understanding and organization of the building process and contract administration is required.
Strong construction contract administration knowledge and experience provides confidence to effectively design details, write specifications, review quality of work on site, negotiate change orders, keep organized the many files and submittals, and confidence handling many other construction contract administration tasks.
So if you don’t already know the subject of contract administration yourself, we have compiled a list of websites where we believe you can find the information upon it. Read More…
Less is More: Three tips < Change Orders
Minimalists ask the question: How much can you strip away from an item — painting, sculpture, building, furniture — without losing its essential purpose and identity?
Your projects don’t have to look like John Pawson’s Home but applying a minimalist frame of mind to design and construction drawings can lead to a reduction in the number of change orders during the contract administration phase. Read More…
Quick Guide: Modern Contractor
Eichler Post & Beam Home, San Raphael CA
Some notable Modernist architects have started their careers as builders or contractors. A few that stand out include Craig Ellwood and his cool Case Study House # 17 or Alfred Newman Beadle and the original Case Study Apartment #1.
Another popular contractor/developer who is probably more famous than the architects he hired, is Joseph Eichler and his popular modernist homes he built in California. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) not all architects get the chance to build for themselves, and rely on the contractor to bring the designs to life. So what exactly can be expected from the contractor on the project? Read More…